A Wild West or American fancy dress theme could be on August 17th’s menu when it comes to ideas for a costumed themed party. It was on this day in 1893 that legendary actress and vaudeville star Mae “Come up and see me some time” West was born. Props n Frocks has a huge range of western accessories and costumes, in stock for next working day delivery.

It was also on this day in 1896 that Gold was first discovered in the Klondike, Yukon, Canada, sparking off the Klondike Gold Rush (one of many Gold Rushes designed to make so called easy money during the end of the nineteenth & beginning of the twentieth centuries). Many of Mae West’s films featured her in a Wild West setting, notably, in this context ‘Klondike Annie’ (1938) in which she played the triple role of Sister Annie Alden, Rose Carlton and The Frisco Doll – something of a gold-digger herself: (“When caught between two evils, I generally like to take the one I never tried”). So a Gold theme could also feature (to go with a golden summer?).

Props n Frocks has a great selection of saloon girl costumes so you can also be a western vamp.